Bardacke encourages
expectant parents not
to get too attached to
plans when it comes
to their babies.
Fra ncisco, teaching mindfulness to new
parents may be a way to shift the entire
“developmental trajectory.” That’s be-
cause how much attention parents bring
to the critical months just prior to and
just after the birth can be a big deter-
minant of the child’s future mental and
physical health, as well as the family’s
long-term well-being.
That doesn’t mean mindfulness is
a gua rantee against having complica-
tions or ending up with a C-section, as
Ba rdacke is the first to admit. In fact,
a notable part of the MBCP program is
reminding couples not to get too attached
to plans when it comes to their babies.
When a nd how they deliver will often be
influenced by factors beyond their con-
trol. What they can control is how they
deal with the unexpected and how they
feel about what happens. As Bardacke
likes to say, “Mindfulness does not give
you the birth experience you wa nt, but
it gives you a way to fall in love with the
birth experience you get.”
A few weeks into the class, Ariana and
Zed found themselves struggling with
the very issue of plans and hopes. They
wanted to have a home birth—true to
form, A riana felt it would allow her more
control. But her doctor decided hospital
delivery was necessar y because of a medi-
cal condition that makes Ariana prone to
bleeding. She was devastated by the deci-
sion. It took her a few days to pull herself
together a nd realize she could still have a
natura l birth without interventions. She
bega n looking for a midwife and doula to
work with, determined “to find a way to →
August 2013 mindful 47
PHOTOGRAPHBYMICHAELO’NEAL